Permits For Pa. Medical Marijuana Growers, Dispensaries On Track To Be Issued By End Of June

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The state Department of Health says it still expects to issue permits for marijuana grower,/processors and dispensaries by the end of this month.

The deadline to submit applications for medical marijuana grower/processors and dispensaries was in March.

Spokeswoman April Hutcheson says the state Department of Health expects to award permits to the successful applicants by the end of the month, but it will still be a while before medical marijuana is available.

“Once the permits are issued, the applicants will have six months to become operational. So they’ll have six months to begin to set up their systems and processes. They’ll have to have an inspection before they deemed operational,” said Hutcheson.

There are a lot of other things that have to happen, including the certification of physicians and patients who will participate in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program, which should be ready to serve those patients in the early part of 2018.